Course Correction
Toronto’s new-school tasting menus are proving that multicourse meals don’t have to be fussy.
Yan Dining Room
There was a time when tasting menus in Toronto meant painstakingly plated dishes, stiff white tablecloths, and prices that rivalled a month’s rent. But a new wave of restaurants are rewriting the rules, trading formality for fun, streamlining courses, and bringing the experience to unexpected spaces. Whether it’s tableside grilling, an all-dessert feast, or a fresh take on fine dining, these are the most exciting tasting menus to try in Toronto right now.
Yan Dining Room redefines the tasting menu experience with its unconventional location and format. Led by chef Eva Chin, this three-night-a-week pop-up operates out of Hong Shing restaurant’s private dining room, offering just one seating per night. The eight-course menu blends traditional Chinese techniques with local ingredients and is served sharing-style. While dishes change seasonally, the meal follows a structured flow: a broth to start, followed by seafood crudo, cold snacks, a hot-cold dish, mains, and dessert. Even better, Yan Dining Room brings a well-executed tasting menu to the table without the usual high price.
Pastry chef Junelle Caslan puts a sweet spin on the tasting menu with an all-dessert experience at her Dovercourt Road bakery. She honed her skills in Michelin-starred kitchens, including Berkeley Hotel’s Marcus Restaurant in the U.K. and New York’s Per Se, before returning to Toronto to open her own pastry shop. Now, she brings her fine dining expertise to a rotating lineup of intricate French- and British-inspired sweets. Separate from the bakery’s usual offerings, her dessert tastings present a selection of small-scale, seasonal creations, such as spiced bread pudding with black pepper crumble or lavender buttermilk panna cotta with blueberry compote.
Chefs Jeff Kang and Edward Bang’s latest restaurant challenges expectations at every turn. Like a traditional KBBQ spot, each table is equipped with a tabletop grill, but instead of diners handling the cooking themselves, expertly trained servers take the reins to ensure every cut of farm-raised meat and premium seafood is cooked to perfection. The hansang (tasting menu) spotlights signature dishes like a seafood tower and mushroom bibimbap, alongside other standouts from the à la carte selection. While meats and seafood arrive in courses, the table is fully stocked from the start with a spread of side dishes and condiments, giving diners full control over their flavour combinations.
Azura breaks the tasting menu mould with its unexpectedly approachable price point for its seven-course canapé tasting. Those with more wiggle room in their budget might choose the 11-course option. Chef Adam Ryan crafts a rotating Mediterranean-inspired menu that pulls from Italy, North Africa and beyond, ensuring that no two ingredients repeat across courses. Seasonal dishes might include scallop with pineberry mousseline or spiced pumpkin filling tucked inside a cannoli shell. The sharp wine and cocktail offerings match the menu’s influences, with both traditional and alcohol-free options available. With cushy green banquettes, exposed brick walls and pottery displays, Azura exudes warm neighbourhood charm while delivering high-level cooking.
At And/Ore, a team of four female partners, led in the kitchen by chef Missy Hui, delivers an immersive dining experience across three floors. The real spectacle unfolds underground, where a moody, cave-like cellar sets the stage for a mystery six-course tasting menu built around hyperseasonal ingredients. Upstairs, under soaring ceilings and hand-painted murals, the vibe is more laid-back but just as inventive. The “chef’s picnic” offers a curated spread of bold and playful bites, such as king oyster mushroom katsu sandwiches or pork ’nduja with smoked gouda polenta, making it a more wallet-friendly way to explore the menu’s creativity.
